Postal scale



Patented Mar. 29, 1927.

UNITED STAT JAMES KING RICHIE. OF BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA.

POSTAL SCALE.

Application filed December 6, 1923. Serial No. 678,953.

This invention relates to .scales and more particularly to postal scales.

The object of a simple and ellicient device the invention is to provide of this character in which a single beam is used equipped Car `witli one or more points carried by the beam fulcruins or balancing use on any supporting surface, the beam beingl shit'table from one point to the other ac Ording to the Another object is to provide a device ofl weight of the article.

this character equipped with article supporting means constructed .so that the art-icle suspended therefrom will always swing with its flat face to the side of the support on which the scale beam is mounted. lVitli the foregoing and view which will appear as the description proceeds,

the invention resides in the cointhat changes in the invention herein disclosed` may within the scope the piecise embodiment of be made of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 represents a top plan view of the scale constituting this invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof shown applied.

Fig. 3 is an end supported thereby; and Flg, 4 is a detail view showing a letter longitudinal section showing a slightly diderent formof balancing point.

In the embodiment illustrated a scale beam 1 is shown constructed of sheet metal, steel, hardrubber. Celluloid or any suitable material.

This beam may be of any desired length and may be equipped at one end with a weight 6 when it is found desirable to use such.

The beam 1 is provided at the end opposite to that carrying the weight 6 with one or more balancing points spaced longitudinally apart at varying shown and numbered points may be of any distances, three being here 2, 3 and 4. These contour being preferably V-shaped as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 although they shaped as shown at 5 in Fig. 4.

These balancing points extend transface and use in weighing articles up although obviously it may versely of the beam on its lower are designed for to three ounces and adapted for v other objectsl indesired cross sectional be equipped with more points for weighing heavier articles. y

As is well known in postage the rate is so much per ounce`orfractioii thereof so that any weight less than an ounce requires the same postage as for an ounce while any weight greater than one ounce 'and less than two requires the same postage as for two ounces and so on for each ounce or fraction thereof. A spring clasp 10 is carried by the end of the beam 1 on which the balancing points are mounted it being here shown suspended by an eye 11 from a cross bar 7 formed in a notch 8 of the beam end. This clasp Yis constructed of a piece of spring wire bent to form a loop 12 having a cooperating thereof between the side members of the loop and adapted to cooperate therewith to clamp a letter L or other article to be weighed. The finger 13 has it-s outer end flared as shown at 14 to facilitate the insertion of a letter or other article in the clasp. The eye 11y from' which the clasp is suspended is positioned in a plane at right angles to loop 12 so that a letter carried by the clasp will always swing flat face with reference to the side of the table or desk shown at D.

In the use of this scale the letter or other parcel to be weighed is slipped into the jaws of the spring clasp 10 and the scale beam 1 placed on the top of a table or any flat surface so that the parcel will hang over the edge and the scale beam rest on the balancing point 4 in which position the point 3 will clear the edge of the table as shown in Fig. Q. ln this position if the article suspended in the clasp 10 weighs less than one Ounce the inner or rear end of the scale beam will not tip up from the table top D. If the article weighs more than one ounce this end of the scale beam will rise. It will thus be seen that an article suspended by clasp 1G which does not tip the inner end of beam 1 when the scale is resting on the balancing point- 4 will require postage for one ounce. the amount of the postage for letters` merchandise, circulars, and newspapers upper face of the beam adjacent the balancing points as is shown in. Fig. 1.

If the parcel tips the scale when resting on the balacing point 4 then the beam is shifted rearwardly until it rests on balancing point 3 and when in this position the balancing being printed on the l g i v 1,022,924

point 2 will clear the table edge. In this vious that this scale ma be very cheaplv position itrequires more than two ounces to constructed especially adapting it for adtip the scale and any weight less than two vertising purposes and the gist. of the invenounces will not tip it. 4It will thus be seen tion resides in providing a scale beam with 30 that any letter or parcel which tipped the one or more balancing points the beam being scale when it was in first position or on shift'able to balance it on the proper point acbalancing point and does not tip it when in cording tothe weight of the article to be second position or on balancing point 3 will weighed. require postage for two ounces. I claim: 35 l0 It' the parcel tips the scale when resting A weighing scale includinga beam. having` .on point 3 then the beam must be moved transversely disposed depressions formed in rearwardly until it rests on point 2 and this the upper surface thereof, said depressions position will indicate whether the parcel defining' knife-like projections on the opweighs less than or more than three ounces. posite side of the beam providing pivot 40 l5 While three balancing points only are points, said knife-like projections being shown obviously an)7 desired number may be spaced various distances apart and arranged employed. The weight (i is designed only adjacent to one end of the beam, one end of for use when large size articles are to be the beain having a notch formed therein and weighed and may be dispensed with by mak; having a cut out portion disposed adjacent to 45 20 ing the beain longer. the notch defininga bar,ac1asp adaptedtobe lCri The beam 1 is shown provided with an pivotally hung on the bar, and a weight at' aperture 9 to be used 1n hanging up the scale the opposlte end of the beam. when notin use and the beani is preferably In testimony that I claim the foregoing as provided with rule graduations as shown iny own, I have hereto atiixed my signature. 25 at l5.

' From the above description it will be'ob- JAMES KING RICHIE. 

